USA 3-0 Mexico: Pulisic scores brace to send Americans to Nations League final

The United States beat Mexico 3-0 on Thursday night to reach the CONCACAF Nations League final against Canada – but the game descended into chaos.

The USMNT and Mexico each finished with nine players after Weston McKennie, Sergino Dest, Cesar Montes and Gerardo Arteaga received red cards in a fiery second half. 

The referee also showed eight yellow cards, fans threw beers onto the field of play and the game was halted due to homophobic chanting. 

Christian Pulisic put his difficult season with Chelsea behind him by scoring a brace in his first start for club or country since April 15.

The winger, who is set to leave the Blues this summer, broke the deadlock in the 37th minute and added his and his nation’s second a minute after halftime. 

Christian Pulisic celebrates after opening the scoring for the USA against Mexico Thursday

Weston McKennie kisses the USA badge after his jersey was torn during scuffle in second half

Pulisic is joined by his USMNT teammates after one of his two goals in their 3-0 victory

Pulisic fires the ball home with his left foot to send USA to the CONCACAF Nations League final

The goals took his tally to 25 in 59 international appearances, including four goals against Mexico. Ricardo Pepi scored the USA’s third in the 78th, five minutes after entering.

Play was also stopped in the 90th minute by Salvadoran referee Ivan Barton because of homophobic chants. After the chants resumed, Barton ended the match in the eighth minute of 12 scheduled minutes of stoppage time.

McKennie and Dest are suspended for Sunday’s final.

‘I’m upset, the game didn’t need to turn into this,’ Pulisic said postgame.

‘We don’t expect this to happen anymore. Now we are missing two good players for the final’

With its first three-goal victory over Mexico in 23 years, the US stretched its unbeaten streak against El Tri to six (three wins, three draws), matching the Americans’ longest, from 2011-15.

B.J. Callaghan coached his first game as the second US interim coach after Anthony Hudson quit to join a Qatari club.

Folarin Balogun made his debut, starting at forward after the 21-year-old decided to play for the US over England and Nigeria.

The US went ahead when Gio Reyna poked the ball off Montes and then while prone, poked it forward off Jorge Sanchez. 

Sergino Dest and Gerardo Arteaga were sent off in the 86th for shoving each other

Weston McKennie, whose jersey was ripped, was sent off for placing a hand on Jorge Sanchez’s neck

Both the US and Mexico ended the game with nine players as tensions flared in Las Vegas

Ricardo Pepi scored the USA’s third goal of the night, taking them to the Nations League final

Pulisic burst behind the defenders, took a pair of touches and from the edge of the six-yard box slotted the ball past goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa.

McKennie started the move toward the second goal with a long pass down a flank to Tim Weah, who crossed. A sprinting Pulisic got behind Israel Reyes and Sanchez, stabbing the ball in with his left foot from six yards.

Montes was given a straight red card in the 69th for kicking Balogun while the two were challenging. 

Beers were tossed onto the field of play as scuffles broke out between the two rival teams

McKennie was given a red card two minutes later for placing a hand on Sanchez’s neck during the ensuing arguing and shoving. McKennie left the field with a ripped jersey.

Pepi scored his seventh international goal, taking a pass from Dest, taking a touch and rounding Ochoa. Dest and Arteaga were sent off in the 86th for shoving each other.

Reyna, his hair dyed blond, made his first start for club or country since March 27, also the last time Dest and goalkeeper Matt Turner had appeared in any match.

Canada beat Panama 2-0 in the opener on goals by Jonathan David in the 25th and Alphonso Davies in the 69th. Mexico and Panama meet in the third-place match.